UNICORN VAGINA

“I couldn’t speak because I was so heavily sedated but I remember they had put pictures of her at the bottom of my bed.

“But I don’t think the news really hit me until I met her for the first time.

“During that time my family was told on numerous occasions that I wasn’t going to make it and they were also told the same about our daughter.

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Tiny Esmay was just 1lb 2oz when she was born

"But when one of us picked up so did the other, even though we were both in different hospitals.”

When Esmay was three weeks old she transferred to the special baby care unit at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, where Rachael, married to Tony, was.

They met for the first time and Rachael said: "It was crazy - she was so little.

"Because I had been in a coma and ventilated for so long I had lost all the muscle in my legs and arms so I had to learn how to walk all over again.

“I pushed myself hard and was able to go home after two weeks on the ward.

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She was given specialist care that saved her life

“Esmay was getting better every day as well and was moved from intensive care to high dependency. It was a massive achievement - she still wasn’t out of the woods but she was growing and getting better.” Esmay was allowed home after three months in hospital. She was born on March 20 last year and the family are now preparing to celebrate her first birthday.

The tot is still being tube fed but is now fighting fit at 13lb 9oz, she turns one on March 20.

Rachael, whose mystery illness was never diagnosed by doctors, said: “It’s a birthday we never imagined we would see but Esmay is a miracle.”